Mapanuepe Lake

Mapanuepe Lake is a freshwater lake located in the province of Zambales in the Philippines. The lake was created after the cataclysmic eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991. Lahars following the eruption blocked the drainage of Mapanuepe River, south of the volcano, flooding Mapanuepe Valley together with its settlements. Only the steeple of the church protruding out of the water remained on one of t ...

he villages.

Mapanuepe lake is located at the confluence of Marella and Mapanuepe Rivers as the two rivers merge to become the Santo Tomas River. The subsequent rains following the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo produced lahar that dumped volcanic debris on the Marella River, one of the major drainages of the mountain, aggrading the river that eventually dammed the Mapanuepe River.

At its maximum extent, the lake grew to an area of 670 hectares and had a stored water volume of 75 x 106 cubic meters before reaching its current state. The only structure that remains is a church tower with a huge metal cross right in the middle of the lake. Prior to the 1991 eruption, studies of geologic formations and sediments of Mapanuepe Valley showed that the area was the site of a similar lahar-formed lake from old eruptions. Wiki

Lake Mapanuepe News

Zambales mountains are rich in minerals and their slopes are densely forested'. I think I have to correct myself on the latter. Perhaps, it was densely forested in the past, (when mining wasn't rampant in the province of Zambales) not to mention the catastrophic eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in 199 causing massive deforestation. Here in San Marcelino town during my adventure trips, I found beauty and destruction brought by nature and the human footprint.

Myriad stories of supernaturalism spread about this lake in Zambales. 'Mermaid' is said to be lurking in its waters as well as 'Kapre' on a tree close to the lake's shore. Deaths due to drowning were claimed to have been done by the mythical creatures. But these stories didn't prevent us from visiting Mapananepe Lake.

None could be had of vast areas of San Marcelino town in the aftermath of Mount Pinatubo's eruption in 1991, the second most devastating volcanic eruption in the 20th century.

Lahar had flowed where rivers once breathed of life and ash left no spot uncovered for weeks, then months, then years. But an interesting thing also happened ??" an entire village in of this town in Zambales became submerged in water.

Sitio Buhawen in Barangay Pili used to be a thriving community of miners involved in chromite extraction at the foot of Mt. Pinatubo.

Paying respect to the dead can be traced back to as far as the era of modern homo sapiens when the remains of a Neanderthal man was unearthed with animal fragments and flowers suggestive of early funerary rites. All Souls' Day in the Philippines is one considered as one of the most important holidays. It is the time of the year when most people working in the city go home to their respective provinces to pay respect to their departed loved-ones.

But if you are one of those not-so-lucky-people who's not able to secure a flight or bus seat back to your province, here is a list of some intere ...

Decades have passed since the discovery of the Pisumpan Copper deposit in 1972 . According to locals, drilling operations for exploration of the minerals began in the early 1990's, while Mines and Geosciences Bureau Region III places Pisumpan Copper Mines Inc's (PCMI) application for a mining permit (MPSA-P-III-8) on April 12, 1991.

PCMI's registered owner is Juvencio Dizon, one of the major stockholders of Dizon Copper Silver Mines Inc (DCSMI), DCSMI was responsible for the mining of the Dizon Mines in San Marcelino, Zambales. Dizon Mines carved out chunks of the Zambales Mt Range causing ...

More Lake Destinations

1. Lake Pinatubo is the summit crater lake of Mount Pinatubo formed after its climactic eruption on June 15, 1991. The lake is located near the boundaries of Pampanga, Tarlac and Zambales provinces in the Philippines and is the deepest lake in the country at 600m. It is about 90 km northwest of the capital city of Manila.
The lake is described as "a wide jewel of blue and green" and is now a popular bush walking destination, mostly frequented by mountaineers and adventure-seekers. Until a few years ago, a trip to the summit involved either days of hiking or hours of 4-wheel vehicle travel followed by a 2-hour hard hike.
Eventually, a trail called the Skyway was made that allows 4 wheel drive vehicles a shorter route to a drop off point to trek to the crater. The skyway shortened the route to a 1.4-hour ride and a 45-minute to an hour's trek. The best time to visit the lake is during the dry season, from November to May.